Friday, March 29, 2013

Sherlock Holmes Society of London

Founded in 1951, the Society is open to anyone with an interest in
Sherlock Holmes, Dr John H. Watson and their world. It is a literary and
social Society, publishing a scholarly Journal and occasional papers,
and holding meetings, dinners and excursions.
Visit the web site to explore all the great content.Web Site

While
rewriting Conan Doyle's script, the American actor William
Gillette famously asked, "May I marry Holmes?" The author replied, "You
may marry or murder, or do what you like with him!" The resulting play
was first
staged in 1899 and has lasted for more than a century. Gillette himself
recorded an abridged version in 1935, for the Lux Radio Theater. Three
years later
Orson Welles adapted the play as an hour-long drama for the Mercury
Theater on the Air, in which he took the leading role, giving a
remarkable
impersonation of Gillette.
The play wasn't heard on British radio
until 1953, when the classic partnership of Carleton Hobbs and Norman
Shelley took
the roles of Holmes and Watson in an adaptation by Raymond Raikes, with
Frederick Valk as Professor Moriarty. Although two good audio
productions were made
in California in recent years, each with a distinguished British actor
in the lead Ð Martin Jarvis and David Warner - the play hasn't been
heard on British
radio since the 1950s.
In the Old Court Radio Theatre Company's
new adaptation, JIM CROZIER and DAVE HAWKES return as Holmes and Watson -
roles that
they have made very much their own - with CYRIL BAGSHAW as Professor
Moriarty. The supporting cast comprises; BETH WALTERS, SIMON THOMAS,
KATHERINE TOKLEY,
MARK PRESTON, VINCE WEBB, LINDSAY LLOYD, IVOR JEVONS, JESSE POWIS, M J
ELLIOTT and BRIAN ADRIAN.Listen to Part One
>> | Listen to Part Two >>

FIVE
YEARS AFTER the supposed death of Sherlock Holmes at the hands of his
arch-enemy
Professor Moriarty, The Strand Magazine published two apparently
unrelated mystery stories, each quoting an un-named criminal
investigator. Devotees have
long debated the identity of this person: was he Sherlock Holmes or not?
In this ingenious new play, M J ELLIOTT assumes that Holmes and Watson
did
investigate the mysterious murder on the Rugby express.

FIVE
YEARS AFTER the
supposed death of Sherlock Holmes at the hands of his arch-enemy
Professor Moriarty, The Strand Magazine published two apparently
unrelated mystery
stories, each quoting an un-named criminal investigator. Devotees have
long debated the identity of this person: was he Sherlock Holmes or not?
In this
ingenious new play, M J ELLIOTT assumes that Holmes and Watson did
investigate the baffling disappearance of a special train.

Sherlock Holmes told his friend Watson that the case of
"The Gloria Scott" was the beginning of his career as a professional
detective.
It occurred during his student days, and it concerned theft, murder and
blackmail.

The
complex problem of "Wisteria Lodge" gave him plenty of scope. And set
him in friendly rivalry with Inspector Baynes of the Surrey
Constabulary, the only police official who was unarguably his equal as a
detective.

This story comes from The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes,
the last of the nine books about the great detective to be written by
his creator,
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Mazarin Stone, being based on a stage play,
The Crown Diamond.

This story also comes from The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. In The
Veiled Lodger Homes and Watson are listeners with us to the story of a
past crime
- but what a story it is! Devotees will recognise elements from Conan
Doyle's apocryphal tale 'The Field Bazaar'.

Before
BBC Radio 4's
dramatisation of the complete Sherlock Holmes Canon, THE YELLOW FACE had
never been adapted for radio. Until now! Now this most elusive
adventure is
available in a witty and exciting new dramatisation by M J ELLIOTT.

THE
THREE STUDENTS was broadcast in the early 1950s on the Light Programme,
in Children's Hour, but no recordings exist. And that's all.
Until now! Now this most elusive adventure is available in a witty and
exciting new dramatisation by M J ELLIOTT.

From
the first volume of Dr Watson's chronicles, The Adventures of Sherlock
Holmes, The Beryl Coronet takes Holmes and Watson into a world of
high society and high finance. Not for the first time, or the last, they
must deal with the indiscretions of a truly illustrious client.

The
Speckled Band" is an altogether darker business - a tale of
madness, violence and gothic suspense. Dr Grimesby Roylott (wonderful
name!) is one of the classic villains, and the story has consistently
ranked among
the all-time favourites since it was first published in The Strand
Magazine in 1891.

The
case of 'The Five Orange Pips', from the late 1880s, was one of
Sherlock Holmes' rare failures: he identified the doom that stalked the
Openshaw family, but could not prevent the murder of his client.